The humming of the sewing machines, sergers and electric screwdrivers and the murmurs of wise old souls comes flowing up the stairs, growing in volume as I descend into the basement of the Juan de Fuca Seniors Centre in Colwood.
I am greeted by the smiling faces of about 15 seniors, hunched over various stations set up to perform the various functions of the workshop B次元官网网址� as they are every Tuesday morning.
ItB次元官网网址檚 like the North Pole of a childB次元官网网址檚 imagination B次元官网网址� right down to the rows of teddy bears B次元官网网址� but without the pointy, curled-toed shoes.
ItB次元官网网址檚 the home base of Canada Comforts, a not-for-profit charitable organization of people determined to do their part to help the children of the world, in whatever way they can.
Even though they recognize their efforts are just a drop in the bucket, says founder and president Sylvia Hatfield, they feel that if there are enough drops, the bucket overflows.
B次元官网网址淥ur little motto is actually an African proverb,B次元官网网址� she says. B次元官网网址淲e can walk far when we walk together.B次元官网网址�
And walk together they do.
Canada Comforts began in the early 1980s, Hatfield says, but only became a B次元官网网址渇ormalizedB次元官网网址� organization in 1998, when they took up shop in the CentreB次元官网网址檚 basement. Prior to that, they were just a group of friends doing good things out of HatfieldB次元官网网址檚 living room. They now have approximately 80 satellite groups across the country.
Their Colwood workshop has stations for making knitted teddy bears, rolling bandages made of old bedsheets, sewing and serging dresses, shorts, baby shirts and other simple garments, and an area to organize it all for packaging.
As I take the tour of the area B次元官网网址� which anyone can do by appointment B次元官网网址� Hatfield stops at a table. On that table sits a sample of their creations and a non-descript binder, which she opens.
B次元官网网址淭his baby was dying,B次元官网网址� she says, pointing at a photograph taken in Africa at a hospital. The binder is full of similar shots taken around the world over the years B次元官网网址� and Hatfield knows the stories that go with each one.
B次元官网网址淗er mother said she had never had a single thing in her life that was brand new. Her baby had a brand new teddy bear and a bag, and the tears were streaming down. I get kind of tired sometimes, and I think it might be time to pack it in, and then I remember things like that and,B次元官网网址� she pauses, gathering her emotions, B次元官网网址淚 guess I can go on a little longer.B次元官网网址�
Doctors and nurses in these far-flung places have told her that their promises to young patients that they could keep the bear if they went through with a painful, life-saving operation have convinced the children to go through with the procedures. ItB次元官网网址檚 those kinds of stories that keep Hatfield going.
Canada Comforts now ships to more than 80 countries around the world, Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, Bangladesh to Yemen. Some months theyB次元官网网址檒l fill two 40-foot shipping containers full of donations. Some months theyB次元官网网址檒l fill three.
And theyB次元官网网址檙e always looking for help. People can work on items at home, as well, based on patterns supplied by the organization (or of their own design, depending on the product). They also happily accept donations of yarn, washable fabric, thread B次元官网网址� anything they can use to make their offerings B次元官网网址� and those are accepted at the Church of the Advent on Sooke Road.
B次元官网网址淭he main goal is to help children both in Canada and in the developing world. ItB次元官网网址檚 not about money-raising, but about what we can do with our hands,B次元官网网址� Hatfield says.
If people canB次元官网网址檛 knit or sew, but would like to help out financially, Canada Comforts can offer tax receipts for donations. Supporters can be sure those funds will be used to purchase supplies and other good uses.
For more information, scheduling a workshop tour on a Tuesday or getting involved in some way, contact Hatfield at 250-474-4614 or canadacomforts@shaw.ca, or Marguerite Swallow at 250-642-4354 or cancoms@telus.net.
For inquiries about garment patterns or helping from home, call Betty Guiney at 250-478-3040.
